The diminishing water supplies and practical needs for watering plants with predetermined amounts of water lead to the need to deliver precisely metered quantities of water or other treatment liquids to plants. Conservation of water, especially for irrigation purposes is a globally recognized need. Water conservation by selective irrigation of plants intended for harvest or ornamentation has become an objective to varying degrees in the minds of agriculturists from window box gardeners to corporate farmers. Indeed, selective irrigation is desirable even in water rich areas. No one wants to encourage growth of weeds along side a desired crop.
Selective irrigation, albeit on a small scale, has been accomplished in the past by appropriately measuring amounts to be distributed into a watering can or container and delivering the metered amounts directly to the plant.
The above process is effective but quite tedious when there are numerous plants involved. Additionally, watering cans and other dispensing devices often distribute the liquid from a position above the plant concerned. There is therefore a tendency to leave residual water or other treatment liquid on the foliage of the plant. This can be deleterious to the plant. For example, roses and other forms of plants may be damaged or killed by wetting the leaves and flowers in hot weather.
Of course the most popular and perhaps most abused watering method is simply the use of irrigation by a garden hose and sprinkler. This is selective irrigation only of the area of coverage by the sprinkler, and most frequently results in over watering. Sprinklers are not typically suited for watering specific plants, unless all the plants in the coverage area require the same form of irrigation. Sprinklers also wet the foliage and are known to apply water to unneeded areas, such as adjacent building structures and sidewalks.
A need therefore remains for a selective liquid distribution device which will facilitate accurate visually detectable discharge of metered quantities of liquid at specific area on the ground surface and which may be connected to a supply source, such as a garden hose to facilitate repeated, accurate use.
Various apparatus have been produced for injecting quantities of liquid below the ground surface, and for depositing liquids at the ground surface, but lack adequate, repeatable metering capability.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 106,802 to W. L. Fish discloses a sprinkler that includes a storage container, a downwardly depending spout and a regulated valve at a lower end thereof. A control valve mechanism is selectively operable to open and close the bottom of the discharge end of the spout to control discharge of water. This device is somewhat complicated and does not include an appropriate metering arrangement for determining the volume of water being deposited. Additionally, the valve is manually operable and can therefore accidentally be operated at an elevation above the plant surface so water is deposited onto the foliage.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,405,669 to Nimrick discloses a fertilizer applying irrigation device which combines the function of water injection below the soil surface with a supply fertilizer or other injectable material. This patent is of interest in its use of a manually operable valve and connection to a water hose. However, there is no metering for the water provided for in the device, nor provision for discharge of water responsive to contact with the ground surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,868,235 to Jaden discloses a liquid dispensing gun which includes a self-contained reservoir for liquids and a plunger operated dispensing device. The dispensing valving mechanism is extremely complicated, including numerous springs, needle valves, and sealing arrangements.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,717 to Miller discloses a irrigation implement comprised of a crook shaped tube with a fitting for attachment to a garden hose. A point is located at an end of the crook, to be pressed into the ground. A manual operable valve is provided at the upward end of the crook to facilitate selective dispensation of water. The device does not include a metering arrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,287 to Guin et al. discloses a subterranean injector that includes a pointed end somewhat similar to the Miller arrangement described above, but further includes a mixing tank situated upward of the garden hose connection, to enable mixture of fertilizer into the water being injected into the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,948 discloses an apparatus for injecting water into the ground. It includes a hose fitting at an upper end and an eccentric weight on a turbine arrangement toward a lower end. Water is sprayed against the rotor wheel, causing it to rotate. An eccentric weight on the wheel causes vibration and facilitates, by such vibration, insertion of a pointed end of the device into the ground. Another injector, without eccentrics or metering, is disclosed in the 1967 U.S. patent to Weir (U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,306).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 919,017; 947,906; 1,135,346; 1,772,763; 2,209,731; and 2,867,943 all disclose forms of injection devices or weed destroying apparatus that involve the use of elongated liquid storing tubes with valving at bottom ends thereof for selective actuation to dispense fluid. None of these devices makes use of a volume measuring arrangement by which the contained fluids may be selectively metered from the tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 216,808 discloses a plant sprinkler that includes a rubber bulb and valve arrangement useful for siphoning water or other liquids from an attached pail. The device also includes a spray head for sprinkling.
The syringe or bulb in U.S. Pat. No. 216,808 may be considered a metering arrangement. However, there is no visual representation of the amount of liquid being applied, nor an ability to select a precise metered amount. Additionally, the device is connected with a sprinkler as opposed to a mechanism by which carefully metered quantities of water or other fluid are applied to the ground surface directly.
Another injection arrangement with a plunger is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,452,110 to Elliott. This arrangement is referred to as a transplanting device and includes an elongated handle with a soil penetrating point at one end and a valved water discharge within the handle adjacent to the pointed end. The valve area is connected to a water supply reservoir. U.S. Pat. No. 708,126 discloses a somewhat similar apparatus only in the shape of a fork with a handle plunger. Again there are no measuring or specific metering capabilities shown.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,255 shows a self acting watering device utilized for "drip" irrigation. The device includes a receptacle that is apparently transparent but without calibrations for determining metered release of water. The device is used to slowly drip water into the ground adjacent a plant.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,782 discloses a hand held device for forming crop receiving cavities. This patent is of interest in that it shows connection of a trigger type hose nozzle to an elongated tube with a discharge at the bottom end. However, the device includes no metering arrangement, nor a valve for allowing dispersion of liquid upon engagement with the ground surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,291 to Shirley discloses a water injector with an elongated pipe that is perforated along its length for insertion into the ground surface. The device is connectable to a source of water supply and includes a clear transparent container used to receive a water soluble soil additive for mixture with the injected water. Again, no metering is disclosed.
Of the above references, none show a metering liquid dispenser which facilitates release of metered quantities of liquid by provision of a calibrated volume indicator, or an extremely simple yet effective intake and discharge mechanism. The need for such a device has therefore remained .